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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26060065">The Most Bitter Cup of Coffee</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Brotherhood, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Minor Character Death, Murder, Music, Musicians, No Romance, Psychological Trauma, Self-Harm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:15:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,018</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26060065</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Chen thought the crazy lady was simply trying to wreck his head. He thought she was lying. </p><p>Why did Lu Han not tell him? What did he do back then that hurt so many people? And why didn't he remember? </p><p>And now that he remembers, why won't the voice leave his mind?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Huang Zi Tao | Z.Tao/Lu Han, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Lu Han, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Wu Yi Fan | Kris, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Zhang Yi Xing | Lay, Lu Han/Wu Yi Fan | Kris</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Tired?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is going to be one long story. I'm also plotting as I go, so do excuse me editing and deleting parts back and forth. Thanks!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chen liked to believe the cafe had a spirit, and it followed the mood of people inside. The place was cool and dim in the morning, when customers came for a peaceful cup of coffee. In the afternoon, the potted plants by the window obeyed the wind and the smell of pastries leaked from the kitchen. As for now, it was past midnight, a storm was raging outside, and they had to stay open for customers who had no means of getting home. With exhaustion growing thicker in the air, the white lights began flickering. And when the café’s usual chatter grew quiet, the old speaker hanging on the ceiling somehow decided to die too. It left them with nothing but yawns and ocassional grumbling.</p><p>Black coffee became a hot commodity for the past hour. At least 20 cups had been sent out from the counter, and Chen was delivering another one when he heard a high-pitched voice talking a little too loudly for this hour.</p><p>"Yeah this one came looking for a job and that one," she paused. Marilou loved talking to the customers, she said that it was the best way to keep them coming back. "I took him in. He lost his brother." </p><p>Chen would roll his eyes, but he had to keep a watch on the full cup of steaming liquid in his tray. For some reason Marilou loved mentioning how Chen and Lu Han became her employees, especially Lu Han, whose story was rough. And she always made sure she said that part loud enough for both of them to hear her, be it Chen who's walking around delivering orders or Lu Han making drinks behind the counter. </p><p>When he returned to the counter, there was no orders awaiting to be put on the tray. Lu Han was sipping from a very dark cup of coffee, meaning it was the cheap instant kind. Marilou had set a rule that the boys were allowed to have any drink that was a cancelled or wrong order, but the two shared a preference for the cheap, instant powdered coffee instead of anything coming from the espresso machine. </p><p>"Want some?" Lu Han pulled a small packet out of his pocket. Chen took it gladly, paying with a grateful grin. The cold, straightforward bitterness smacked the hint of sleepiness right out of his head. Marilou said once that she would never touch a drop of instant coffee, and since then Chen was addicted to it. </p><p>Lu Han gulped down his entire cup. He sighed, pressing both his hands on the counter top. </p><p>"You're that tired?" </p><p>Lu Han didn't answer. He pushed away hard from the table, forcing his energy levels up. Eventually he pulled out another pack of coffee. Chen watched him make it with cold water, a habit Chen initially thought was strange but soon enough followed. </p><p>"Are you tired?" Lu Han returned the question, sipping on his second cup.</p><p>"No way," Chen said, chuckling. It came out a little more bitter sounding than he intended, and Lu Han clearly noticed it, giving him a warm squeeze behind the neck before heading to the kitchen to wash his cup. </p><p>Chen pretended to stare at his coffee as he silently watched the older walk off. Lu Han could get tired of work because he had a home to rest in. Chen was the most tired at home. He would never get tired of work, because at least he wasn't at home. </p><p>***</p><p>A man busted through the door. It sounded like he nearly brought the door down too. He must've walked through the rain, his clothes being completely soaked. </p><p>Chen pulled the not very clean hand towel off its hanger when the man wasn't looking, and hurried to the order station. </p><p>"Thank you," the man muttered, slightly out of breath. His voice was deep and scratchy. He spoke with no tone and no expression."Do you still have tea?"</p><p>"We do. What kind of-" </p><p>"Whatever. Hey," the man said, leaning forwards and lowering his voice. He was either heavy or strong, because Chen felt the tap on the counter. "Anyone named Lu Han here?" </p><p>"Ehm. Yes," Chen said, swallowing. The man didn't look very friendly, his eyes seemed to be able to look right through Chen's skull. "He's inside, I'll call him." </p><p>He didn't have to, because the kitchen door opened. Lu Han's eyes widened. </p><p>"Yo!" </p><p>"Hey man," the drenched man said, instantly grinning. "How you doing?"</p><p>"Not bad. Chen that's Kris. Dude, meet my lil bro Chen. Why are you here?" </p><p>"Lil-" Kris coughed, staring at Lu Han. "Oh.. yeah, hey Chen nice to meet you. I came... I need to, bro can we talk?" </p><p>Lu Han stole a glance at Marilou, still with her old friend who now looked exhausted. </p><p>"Wait," Chen said, smirking. He headed over to a table near Marilou, where an old man was asleep, face on his book, where there was an empty plate. Given the sauce all over, it was a fries order a few hours ago. He collected the plate, then tilted a little. A spoon came clattering on the ground. Marilou looked up, smiling like a clown would at a terrified child. </p><p>"Chen, take your time, no hurry. Don't drop things everywhere." Her voice was almost seductive, followed by a sickening chuckle. Her eyes all the while sent a coded message of '<em>Answer back or roll your eyes and </em><em>I will strip you naked in front of the entire cafe.' </em></p><p>Chen picked up the spoon, balancing the plates carefully in his other hand, watching Lu Han and Kris slip off to the kitchen. </p><p>***</p><p>Chen leaned against the wall, listening to the conversation inside faintly. </p><p>"I really can't anymore. I forgot." Lu Han said it half laughing. Chen wondered if Kris knew it meant he was lying. </p><p>"Dude you literally cannot forget a skill." </p><p>"Ask someone else." </p><p>"Why do you like so much about working here amyway?" </p><p>Chen froze in his place. This was a question he had been asking Lu Han for years, and have never gotten the answer to. </p><p>"I don't like it, its because" the voice trailed off, Lu Han walking further to the far end of the kitcheb. Chen groaned. Out of all times, Lu Han had to choose to walk off now.</p><p>The next thing he heard was a deep "Fine" from Kris, and the door clicking open. Marilou was now no longer distracted, she was nodding off. Kris slipped away and out, never getting his tea. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The daily night show starts when Lu Han leaves and Marilou was sure he had gone far out of hearing proximity. Her first move was usually hurling an empty beer bottle at Chen. Tonight however, she did the motion without letting go of the bottle, instead banging it right back to the table where it was before. She probably didn't want to spend anymore time here waiting for Chen to clean, given it was almost 2 am. Chen caught the sore sight of her glaring, her thick eyebrows flaring towards her temples. He swallowed. </p><p>Chen moved his wet cloth acrosss table tops, as fast as he could, making sure there was not a streak of grease left. He kept his eyes down the entire time, not wanting to trigger any reaction from the person watching behind the counter like a wild cat preparing to pounce. </p><p>Eventually he still had to approach her direction, as he was carrying trash to the kitchen. It was then that she began the performance for the day. </p><p>"You." It was always the first word, accompanied with a finger pointed at him. The shrill voice resomated across the room, Chen froze on his spot, feeling the chill travel down his spine. </p><p>"ANSWE-"</p><p>"Yes." </p><p>"YES WHA-" </p><p>"Yes ma'am."</p><p>"Oh, you've got guts to be rude. Good. You wait. See what you can really do, huh. Now clean the shit, fast!" </p><p>Chen walked in, focusing his eyes on the plates and trying to block out the noise outside. She was definitely still yelling something, but thankfully the kitchen was at least partially soundproof, making whatever she said gibberish. Chen scanned the kitchen as he headed for the bin, looking for any clues Kris and Lu Han might have left about what they were talking about. There was nothing.</p><p>Chen huffed, annoyed at himself as he dumped the trash into the bin. Whatever they spoke about was none of his business. Being nosy was Marilou's style. </p><p>When he came back out, Marilou was tapping her fingers on the counter. She shot him a smile, her eyes still and haunting. </p><p>"What?" she asked, the eerie smile widening. Chen walked off, making his way to the door. He turned, sighing. He really didn't want to speak to the lady. Of course, she knew that, which was why she stood at the counter waiting for him to talk. </p><p>"Let's go." he grunted. She scrunched her eyebrows, shaking her head. </p><p>"Really. No sense of respect. You really are that shameless aren't you." The frozen smile remained plastered on her face as she spoke, and as they walked through the empty streets on the way home. </p><p>Even with only the weak street lighting, the cracks along the sides of the apartment building could clearly be seen. Chen smirked. This place was not only cracked outside. Every night, you'd hear voices of cracked families inside. </p><p>A finger poked his arm. He turned, barely managing to stop his reflexes, which normally would instruct him to swing his fist. If it was up to him, he would gladly throw a punch, but unfortunately everything had consequences here. And it would always involve someone else getting punished together with him. </p><p>"Do you know?" She whispered into his ear. Chen flinched, stepping back. The way she looked reminded Chen of teen girls who come to their cafe after school hours. Only when it was Marilou he wanted to puke. </p><p>"What?" </p><p>"Lu Han. He's very emotional." </p><p>Chen gave her a flat starr. Lu Han would be the opposite of what he called emotional. Lu Han deals with angry customers almost every hour and nothing they spew at him seem to even enter. He was the perfect example of the divide between empathetic and emotional. And even if he was, so what?</p><p>"Okay." </p><p>"You don't believe me," she whispered with a whiny tone. Another poke. Chen pulled his arm away. He'd seen guys being poked by their friends and partners. Most tolerate it, but none had seemed too happy about it. When it was a grouchy woman in her fifties who screamed like a howler monkey, it was a whole new level.</p><p>"I don't care," Chen said, pushing the door into the lobby. What was referred to as a lobby is a dark place with an always empty reception table, mailboxes which can no longer be locked, and the staircase towards the little spaces people cramped themselves into upstairs. </p><p>There was no lighting along the way, a person could easily trip on the stairs. Chen could hear Marilou tapping randomly on the railing. She was searching for Chen's arm. Back then, she always held onto him until they made it all the way to their door. But Chen had gotten good in listening and dodging in the dark, always stepping away from where she made noises. If Marilou really wanted to hold on to him, she'd have to ask for help, and Chen knew her ego didn't allow that. So she'd have to make do with the railing. </p><p>There a sigh of relief from her when they stepped onto the ninth floor. Chen smirked, satisfied on the inconvenience he created for her. </p><p>"The older, the more shameless. Hey, I'll tell you what. Lu Han he cried for one and a half year after that. That's eighteen months. Eighteen months because of you." </p><p>The last part caught Chen off guard. Because of him? What did he do? He froze. Suddenly the smile on her face wasn't the forced plastic one. It was tilted, winning. She was contempt. Chen's stomach went cold. </p><p> </p>
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